The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 874
CH. 40 AL-MU'MIN PT. 24 هُدًى وَذِكْرُى لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ 55. A guidance and a reminder for men of understanding. فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللهِ حَقٌّ وَاسْتَغْفِرُ ,So have patience. Surely. 56 لِذَنْبِكَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبَّكَ بِالْعَشِي And ask forgiveness for thy وَالْإِبْكَارِ the promise of Allah is true. frailty, and glorify thy Lord with His praise in the evening and in the morning. 3534 "30:61. or defence on the part of wrongdoers will be of any avail to them. 3534. Important Words: (ask forgiveness) is derived from They sayi. e. he غفر الله. covered or concealed the thing means, God covered up his sins and forgave him. and which are both infinitives, signify God's forgiveness or His protection of a person against the punishment of his sins and protection against future lapses (Mufradāt, Aqrab & Lane). would thus signify, "ask God for need offering Istighfar to seek Divine help and assistance against these. See also 2:59 & 14:42 ذنب frailty is derived from) ذنب (dhanaba). (dhanaba-hu) means, he followed his tail, not quitting his track. ;, therefore, signifies such natural failings or frailties as adhere to human nature. ☑also means, a fault, an imperfection, a shortcoming, natural weakness, frailty, a misdeed, an offence or error for which one is liable to be called to account or which produces harmful results (Mufradāt). ذنب and إثم جرم و جناح i. e. covering up of, and for- Four words ie " مغفرة giveness for, past lapses, and pro- tection from future stumbling. (Istighfär), therefore, is not only needed by ordinary believers but also by holy men of God-even by God's great Prophets. While the former offer Istighfar to seek protection against future sins as well as from the evil consequences of past lapses, the latter seek protection from human shortcomings and weaknesses that may hinder the progress of their cause. The Prophets also are human and though they are immune to sin, yet they, too, are heir to human failings and frailties and so they too 2788 used in the Quran, but whereas all the (all signifying a lapse) have been four have been used in relation to human beings generally, the first three have not been used with regard to Prophets of God. This shows the great difference between ; and other words. See also 3:17. Commentary: As against the Bible which has imputed all sorts of heinous crimes and sins to God's Prophets (Gen. 9:21-22; 19:30-36 & 2 Sam. 11:2-5), Islam regards them as completely free from all moral lapses. They are born sinless and they remain sinless